National Republican., 1887-12-10
HOW THE MESSAGE STRIKES.
A Variety OF Opinions on President
Cieveland's wonderful Document.

appreciate the situation as outlined by the
President, we may expect some wholesome
legislation.
Charleston Ne,gs and Courier. The Pres
ident runs through the gamut OF the pro-
tective argument and exposes with cruel
stronger or more comprehensive exposition
Of the weakness and Inherent Inequality OF
the protective system has not been given to
the public The issue is now fairly Joined.
Philadelphia Daily News Abuse. Is not
argument, and the only arguments pre-
sented by the President In his message, are
based on ignorance and an inadequate COM
prehension OF the existing state OF affairs.
=, As a campaign document for the
free traders the Presidente message will be
excellent; but we doubt II II will he salts
factory even to his party. 1t is clearly too
Rentuckian In spirit.
two since that IL was the duty OF the Ledger
to cay that the Democratic party occupied
the position Of advantage In the matter Of
the approaching presidential election, aud
about the best outlook for the Republicans
was that the Democrats, because OF their
fatal facility for making mischief for them
selves, might destroy their advantage be-
tween now and the election. That seems
to be the work they are pursuing with great
diligence at this time. "Oh, that
mine adversary had written book.n Mr..
Cleveland as written the book for them.
Philadelphia Record! Tue President of
the United States has been heard from. lie
has cast behind him the shifty and cow
.ardly evasions and expediencies which II
has been the fashion OF craftier statesmen
to employ In dealing with the subject of
tariff reform, and has stepped boldly upon
true, time honored Democratic grouud.
The people Of this country have longed for
such manifestation Of Jacksonian back
bone In the white house. We think this
courageous state paper will satisfy their
longing.
The key note OF 1sSShas been sounded.
Philadelphia Inquirer He has laid down
the platform on which the campaign OF
1883 will be fought. He has given us the
freshest, best argued, and most important
tariff paper that has appeared for many
years. Despite his depreciation of free
trade sentiments, protectionists will recog,
nize 1t as the most subtitle argument against
the protective tariff within the memory OF
the present generation. It will put the Re-
publican party on the defensive unless its
representatives in Congress shall be wise
enough and prompt enough to offer
modified tariff bill before the Democrats
can prepare q slightly disguised free trade
enactment. It nominates Grover Cleveland
for President In 1888.
New York Star /: We greatly doubt
whether this strong and patriotic appeal
will produce the effect to which It is enti-
tied. The protected interests have hlther-
to failed to show any deposition to yield
to any impulse whatever except their own
selGshness: They have stood banded to-
duce the profits they eStort from the toll
Ing masses. They have refused to give up
the tax upon lumber. which has despoiled
our foreete, or upon salt, which 10 neces-
sary to the preservation OF food, or on
fuel, without which no labor can be per-
formed. All these taxes are admitted to be
cruel and unnecessary. They have been
continued merely because the conspiracy
could not be maintained except by concert.
To break one link would break the chain.
Hartford Post The Presidents idea of the
constitutional provision which makes 1t In
cumbentupon him at the opening Of Congress
to furnish 1t with Information IN regard
to the estate OF the Union" Is quite elias.
tic. He attempts to inform the couotry
upon one topic only, and what he says
upon that topic is merely the regulation
free trade statement which has haen con.
the Democracy and the importers OF New
York city. AS to the vast Interests OF the
interior workings OF the government. the
internal revenue, pensions, Indian affairs,
postal matters, foreign relations, and the
all important Ito New England) question
OF the fisheries he has not a word, Mr..
Cleveland has sunk the President into tho
partisan to remarkable degree.
Louisville C0urier-J Journal: "Two classes
are likely to find the message very trouble
some paper. The first embraces the Repub.
licane, who are already denouncing It as a
free trade. The second consists Of those
Democrats who have persisted In believing
that they could defeat the movement for
revenue reform by obstruction devices, and
who to this end have sought to muddle the
question In the public mind by the ceaseless
lmisrepresentiDg Of the purposes OF the
friends of reform. To both these the words
Of the President are equally incisive." Mr..
Watterson concluded as follows: "There is
no longer middle ground to stand on and
still less to fight on. This phase OF obstruc-
ton is over. Its, leading characters have
reached the end Of their string. In the face
OF the enemy and on the threshold Of &gen-
eral engagement, the word must boy NaNieit
VIII be, every man to hispost Of dut9'
Richmond (va) Wig; The President in
sists very strepuously upon reduction of
tariff duties, but his views on that subject
are rather conservative than otherwise. He
says distinctly that In any readjustment of
our tariff the interests OF American labor
engaged In manufactures should be care
fully considered, as we'll as the preserva-
tion Of our manufactures, and that ''reief
from the hardships and dangers Of our
| prasent tariff laws should be devised with
| especial precaution, against imperiling the
| existence of our manufacturing interests." I"
| Any revision of the tariff that Is entered
| upon In that spirit cannot seriously jeopsr-
| die the interests OF American labor or
American ipdpstries., We confess that we
Dc not concur entirely with the President's
views in regard to the free admission Of raw
| material, but when subjected to the quail
ncation made above they could not do much
harm.
| New Orleans Times. Democrat /: 1t must
be acknowledged that the, President ex-
presses his views on the tariff forcibly and
strongly. We do not agree with the Presi-
dent In regard to the non-reduction OF the
tobacco tax. II is true, that tobacco Is not
anecessity, but the tax is stroublesome aud
bnrdensome to the agricultural producer,
able. IN regard to the tariff duties the
President recommends that the reductions
be made SO as 70 entail the least injury to
the laborers engaged In our several fac.
tories, and allow the capitalists d fair share
OF profit, at the same time that no encour-
agement, aid, OF. support be- given to
trusts" and monopolies, Such pro-
gramme, II faithfully carried out, would
reduce the revenues With the, least injury
to our notwithstanding Industries. III Is
possible, but, In view Of local political and
other prejudices, It Is difficult, and It Will
require great statesmanship and wisdom to
accomplish this result. ,,. -......
Boston Herald: II we were inclined to
speculate!upon; the temper of mind Of Pres
ident Cleveland in which the message was
composed, we should say that 1t was writ
ten first with a strong feeling of the uu'
reasonable and embarrassing extent of the
surplus In the national treasury; next,after
thorough examination OF the tariff with
keenly qulckened sense OF It's unjust opera.
tion upon the sbusiness and the people of